Ever drop your gun during dry fire practice ?

[IHAVEGAS]

On occasion I can be trying to push my draw as fast as possible and I will bring the gun forward before it is 100% clear of the holster. It happens maybe 1 time per 7 dry fire sessions or something like that.

This bugs me a lot for obvious reasons. So I am wondering if this happens to a number of folks as they push their limits and is just a thing to work through, or if it is a thing more particular to me.

Right now I'm trying to eliminate the problem really just by practicing more (and not pushing so hard when the gun is loaded), but perhaps there is a better way to go after it.

[Miranda]

... and putting magazines in...

so far... I know I can snap a pistol out of my hand with a holster

and hit my right foot with a magazine.

I also know weak hand mag swaps can cause the pistol to end up in my strong hand...

There is no end to the fun things that one can do.

I have lost many snap caps...

btw dropping a magazine on a couch cushion will not save your foot from harm...

mostly I am glad the cat is the only one who has seen all that.

practice and you will learn not to make those mistakes.

[tyler2you]

Just curious if you're using a "scoop" type draw (pulling the gun from the holster with a single upward motion). Just my opinion, but you're much better off raising your hand to just above the gun and then coming down on it to establish your grip prior to pulling it out of the holster. It may be a fraction of a second slower, but it's much safer and helps with grip consistency.

If you've got room to do it, you might also consider dropping your holster lower using a different attachment method.

Edited January 21, 2016 by tyler2you

[motosapiens]

I've only ever dropped mags. never come close to dropping my gun.

It seems like there is something inconsistent with your draw stroke if it's not the same all the time. I would work on that.

[Racinready300ex]

I've come close to dropping my gun. Typically when I miss the draw and hit the beavertail with my hand as I come up to the gun. It happened a few times when I switched to my new gun. But, I'm getting it down now that I've been dry firing this gun for almost a month.

I couldn't tell you how many times I've sent a mag flying somewhere.

[Miranda]

...snip... you're much better off raising your hand to just above the gun and then coming down on it to establish your grip prior to pulling it out of the holster. unsnip...

interesting.

I like the advice. I am thinking I have the pistol a bit high for this to be easy at first.

however it does explain why my thumb has scuffmarks on the outside...

miranda

[IHAVEGAS]

Just curious if you're using a "scoop" type draw (pulling the gun from the holster with a single upward motion). Just my opinion, but you're much better off raising your hand to just above the gun and then coming down on it to establish your grip prior to pulling it out of the holster. It may be a fraction of a second slower, but it's much safer and helps with grip consistency.

If you've got room to do it, you might also consider dropping your holster lower using a different attachment method.

No scoop, I was taught by a person who shares your thoughts on the draw, dropping the holster may be a good way to go, I seem to always get a satisfactory grip (not saying always perfect but always adequate to retain the gun) but occasionally bring the gun forward when the muzzle is not quite high enough to fully clear the holster. I'm shooting a maximum barrel length production gun, which may not help.

"It seems like there is something inconsistent with your draw stroke if it's not the same all the time. I would work on that."

I'm not sure how to work on inconsistency except to just keep putting time in drawing the gun, but I get your point.

Edited January 21, 2016 by IHAVEGAS

[tyler2you]

...snip... you're much better off raising your hand to just above the gun and then coming down on it to establish your grip prior to pulling it out of the holster. unsnip...

interesting.

I like the advice. I am thinking I have the pistol a bit high for this to be easy at first.

however it does explain why my thumb has scuffmarks on the outside...

miranda

Wish I could take credit for it, but a local GM told me after a match that my scoop was going to get me in trouble at some point and I decided to listen.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

[tyler2you]

You might also consider breaking your draw up into several distinct movements and working on those separately in dry fire. It might look something like this:

1. Bring weak hand up to the body as you come down on the grip

2. Pull the gun up until it clears the holster

3. Drive the gun forward as the weak hand comes forward to the grip

4. Verify sight picture and break the shot

Sounds like you could work lots of repetitions on step 2 until getting the gun up high enough to clear the holster becomes ingrained into your draw.

[Gooldylocks]

You might also consider breaking your draw up into several distinct movements and working on those separately in dry fire. It might look something like this:

1. Bring weak hand up to the body as you come down on the grip

2. Pull the gun up until it clears the holster

3. Drive the gun forward as the weak hand comes forward to the grip

4. Verify sight picture and break the shot

Sounds like you could work lots of repetitions on step 2 until getting the gun up high enough to clear the holster becomes ingrained into your draw.

+1

Anderson's dirst drill in Refinement and Repetition is just a 15 foot draw to sight picture, in slow motion. I think that speaks volumes, personally.

[Sarge]

Of course you are DQ'ed and must cease dry fire immediately!

Dry fire is supposed to ingrain good habits and dropping a gun is not a good habit.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I've only dropped mags. Never come close to dropping my gun.

+1. Never saw Anyone drop their gun in 20 years of shooting, until last year

we had TWO (2) shooters on my squad drop their guns ....

[Nimitz]

Just curious if you're using a "scoop" type draw (pulling the gun from the holster with a single upward motion). Just my opinion, but you're much better off raising your hand to just above the gun and then coming down on it to establish your grip prior to pulling it out of the holster. It may be a fraction of a second slower, but it's much safer and helps with grip consistency.

If you've got room to do it, you might also consider dropping your holster lower using a different attachment method.

No scoop, I was taught by a person who shares your thoughts on the draw, dropping the holster may be a good way to go, I seem to always get a satisfactory grip (not saying always perfect but always adequate to retain the gun) but occasionally bring the gun forward when the muzzle is not quite high enough to fully clear the holster. I'm shooting a maximum barrel length production gun, which may not help.

"It seems like there is something inconsistent with your draw stroke if it's not the same all the time. I would work on that."

I'm not sure how to work on inconsistency except to just keep putting time in drawing the gun, but I get your point.

Short of hiring Ben Stoeger to be your full-time training coach your video camera is the best training partner you'll ever have. Should find out instantly what your problems are that need correcting ...

[ecolyer325]

I have never dropped my gun during my draw, but I have gotten pissed at myself during a dry fire session and slammed my gun into my holster. Well once or twice I may have missed my holster a bit and dropped the gun.

I have also dropped magazines on my foot, and I have also launched a couple magazines across the room when really pushing my reloads.

[tha1000]

I've developed the ability to disassemble CZ magazines when pushing the speed on reloads, but have never dropped my gun in dry fire... of course I have the opposite problem from the OP as I usually clear my holster by about 6 inches of wasted movement.

[motosapiens]

I'm not sure how to work on inconsistency except to just keep putting time in drawing the gun, but I get your point.

what I do on drills like draws and reloads is I start a couple tenths slower than my current par time, and do 8-10 reps pretty precisely. It's still pretty brisk by non competition standards, but it seems to help me burn in the exact motion. Then I drop the par time a tenth or so at a time until I can't really keep up anymore. then I do 8-10 reps with no par time, basically just going fast as I know I can do it correctly almost all the time, which is pretty much my match speed.

[cjdaniel78]

what I do on drills like draws and reloads is I start a couple tenths slower than my current par time, and do 8-10 reps pretty precisely. It's still pretty brisk by non competition standards, but it seems to help me burn in the exact motion. Then I drop the par time a tenth or so at a time until I can't really keep up anymore. then I do 8-10 reps with no par time, basically just going fast as I know I can do it correctly almost all the time, which is pretty much my match speed.

I like that! A lot!

Edited January 22, 2016 by cjdaniel78

[cjdaniel78]

I dropped mine once, it was in dry fire and over a year ago. Never again.

Mags on the other hand I've flung across the room doing reloads.

Edited January 22, 2016 by cjdaniel78

[IHAVEGAS]

Dry fire is supposed to ingrain good habits and dropping a gun is not a good habit.

If you would like a copy of my avatar please pm where to send it.

I'm not sure how to work on inconsistency except to just keep putting time in drawing the gun, but I get your point.

what I do on drills like draws and reloads is I start a couple tenths slower than my current par time, and do 8-10 reps pretty precisely. It's still pretty brisk by non competition standards, but it seems to help me burn in the exact motion. Then I drop the par time a tenth or so at a time until I can't really keep up anymore. then I do 8-10 reps with no par time, basically just going fast as I know I can do it correctly almost all the time, which is pretty much my match speed.

I think that is going to be the thing that I do.

Other thing, probably a minor influence but I think I have found that I was not helping myself any on holster positioning. Using a Blade tech & a Boss hanger. I had a slight rearward tilt to the holster which would mean that the front of the gun would need to move very slightly rearward during the draw and the holster was not mounted at its lowest position (I'm not a knuckle dragger but at 6'1" have a longer than average wingspan).

[Foxj66]

I dropped my gun once. I didn't set the lock on my holster and bent over to pick up a mag and knocked it out.

[Reshoot]

Not yet . . . not my competition guns.

But, I once dropped my Ruger Redhawk, while preparing for deer hunting. And, it just had to land on the concrete patio upside down . . . Leupold scope down. There was cosmetic damage, but it held zero. It pays to buy good glass . . . whew!

[ShooterSteve]

It doesn't sound like your draw mechanics are solid. Have you ever thought of taking a lesson from a GM? One lesson will really open your eyes, and change your whole mindset on the draw cycle.

[IHAVEGAS]

It doesn't sound like your draw mechanics are solid. Have you ever thought of taking a lesson from a GM? One lesson will really open your eyes, and change your whole mindset on the draw cycle.

So far I have participated in group instruction led by an M, and two 4 hour (or thereabouts) one on one sessions with local GM's.

I think as I have attempted to push speed I just somehow developed an occasional problem with bringing the gun forward when it is 95% high enough to clear the holster. Seems to be going away with practice and after moving my holster down as much as possible and eliminating a slight reverse cant.

Yesterday I pushed the draw as fast as I am capable of and was not able to recreate the problem, will not say that I always hit my grip well under those circumstances.

[IHAVEGAS]

Oh, for what it might be worth to anyone I think the problem is fixed.

I dropped my holster to its lowest position on my Ben Stoeger 'Boss' hanger, eliminated a slight backward tilt to the holster, and worked on mechanics as suggested by other posters.

A big thing, maybe the key thing, I think was reading the responses of others who have never dropped a gun and figuring out that this is a thing that can be fixed.

Thanks for all feedback.

I'm not saying that when I'm pushing to develop speed I get a perfect grip every time now though .

[rowdyb]

I have never dropped my gun or even came close in dry fire. I have broken the '180' off of my dry fire targets.

What has screwed me is doing dry fire the night before or morning of a match. With a snap cap. And forgetting to take it out before putting my gun in the range bag. Makes for an uncomfortable LAMR.